The best croissants in Orange County are not at some fancy boulangerie or pâtisserie tucked away in the well-heeled shores of Newport or Laguna; they're turned out not by a François, but a Mario.

That's right, don't call it a croissant, call it a cuernito, and get it at either branch of Molinos Bakery. Walk in to the Garden Grove branch in the morning around 7:30 a.m. (perfect for picking them up to bribe co-workers) and it looks like a typical Mexican bakery, with well-worn cabinets practically groaning with Mexican pastries: conchas, empanadas dulces, and all manner of other panes dulces.

Dave Lieberman

Right in front of you, though, is the Holy Grail: a 7-foot-tall baker's rack full of pans of still-hot croissants. They're enormous, and they've got the most amazing egg-wash sheen I've ever seen. Break one apart and you'll see it's moist and flaky without being even slightly dry. They practically beg to be slathered with butter and maybe just a tiny bit of jam. One of these and a cup of café de olla ($1) and you'll be ready to face the day.

The best part? The price. A dozen of these things, still practically steaming from the oven, is a whopping six dollars. You can't even pay for parking in Newport Beach for that.